In the late 60s and early 70s at my friend's house there was a stack of old records in the basement left from his older brother that had moved out. I remember a copy of Let it Bleed, that album cover is hard to forget. But we never played that record, we were Beatles fans and hadn't discovered the Stones.

My friend said there was also a stuffed monkey doll in the basement but I can't remember that myself. He said that "The Rolling Stones" was written on the monkey. He told me that at the end of a Rolling Stones concert his older brother jumped onto the stage and stole the stuffed monkey right off the stage.

It makes me think of the Beatles Sgt. Pepper's cover where there is what looks like a stuffed doll with "Welcome The Rolling Stones" on the doll's shirt.

Is it possible there is a connection there? Perhaps for one of the Stones tours there were promotional items in the form of stuffed monkey dolls to give away to screaming girls? For concerts and public appearances at radio stations, etc?

Perhaps some expert could shed some light on this? The caveat being that I could be wrong here and my memory is off.

It sounds to me more like something a fan would have thrown onto the stage. But as I actually have no clue, hopefully someone will have info that it's something more interesting!

I can only speak for UK concerts. I went to Stones concerts in 1965 (Rugby)and again in 1966 (Birmingham).
The only merchandise available (apart from printed programmes on sale inside the venue) was posters on sale outside the theatres. I don't think they were official.

Even in 1971 at Coventry there was no merchandise at the concert in they way there is today. For the Stones it didn't feel "cool" at that time. Even though the Beatles had merchandise in the USA throughout the sixties that did not happen in UK in the same way. I know you could buy, say, a Stones jigsaw or guitar but not from a concert venue.

The shirt on Sgt. Pepper was made by a fan called Mary Scruggs who gave it to Mick backstage at Memphis Coliseum in November 1965.
I don't know how the Beatles came to have it though.


Hit Parader, August 1966.




"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2018-07-11 13:52 by Deltics.

In 1965 in Los Angeles, I remember seeing teenage girls wearing sweaters featuring pictures of the Stones's heads and the words 'I Like the Rolling Stones' on the front.

Quote
Aquamarine
It sounds to me more like something a fan would have thrown onto the stage. But as I actually have no clue, hopefully someone will have info that it's something more interesting!

That sounds quite plausible. Thanks for that thought. And it ties into the story posted about the t-shirt given to Mick.